Improvement in machines for molding concrete pipe, drain-tile



2 Sheets--Sheet i.

T. E. DANIELS.`

Machine for Molding Concrete Pipe, Drain Tile, &e.

Patented Aug. 3, 875e4 xmmmllillill i mi LM/Z

.PEIERS. PHOTULLIYHDGRAPMSR. WASHINGTDN. D c.

2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

T. e. DANIE'LS.;

Machine fer Molding Concrete Pipe, Drain Tile, Sie.

NO.I`,264.` `i f `Patented/Wg.3,1875.

f l l l n minesses: l,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

TAYLOR E. DANIELS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR MOLDING CONCRETE PIPE, DRAIN-TILE. duc.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 166,264., dated August 3, 1875; application filed` May 13, 1575.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, TAYLOR E. DANrELs, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Molding Concrete Pipe, Drain-Tile, &c., of which-the following is a specification My invention consists in the combination of a circular table, provided with a series of detachable molds onV its periphery, and a steam hammer vor tamp, so arranged that it may b e caused to enter either one of the molds at 1 will; in supporting the hammer by a hollowpost located in the center ofthe table, and arranged to conduct steam to the hammer; in a peculiar construction of the oscillating steamvalve; in a peculiar construction and arrangement of the valve-gear, enabling the operator to control perfectly the movement of the hammer; `in cutting away the head of the hammer in such manner that the concrete or other ma-v terial may be fed into the mold while the hanr mer is at work; in devices for imparting to i the hammer-head a rotary motion, to insure a uniform hardness of the pipe; in constructing the molds of two parts, tongued and grooved, and held together by outside bands; in the use of vertically-sliding cores, connected to spiral springsA at their lower ends, and held up in place by catches, so that when released they will be drawnl down ont of the way to permit the removal of the molds, and in other details, as hereinafter described.

Figure l represents a side elevation of my Vmachine; Fig. 2, a vertical central section of the cylinder, valve, and hollow supportingf post; Fig. 3, a vertical central section through the base of the machine; Fig. 4, a side view of the valve-geamFig. 5, a side View of the rotating sleeve which operates the valve and the hammer-rotating devices; Fig. 6, a crosssection of the valve-gear on the line m x; Fig. 7, a View` showing the construction and arrangement of the devices for rotating the hammer; Fig. 8, a top-plan view of one of the molds; Fig. 9, a perspective View of the steam-valve detached; Fig. lO, a cross-section of the valve and valve-seat on the line y y of Fig..2. p

The machine consists, essentially, of a circular table, A, provided on its periphery with ary, and the hammer arranged to swiu g around f the standard over themolds; or the hammer may be stationary, and the table arranged to rotate, in order to bring the molds in succes-I sion under the hammer.

As I prefer to employ the fixed table and movable hammer, I will first describe the machine as constructed in that manner.

The table A is made of a circular form, and provided in its periphery with a series of seats or steps to receive upright cylindrical molds B, each of which is seated solidly upon its lower end, and also seated half its diameter into the side of the table, in order to prevent lateral displacement and insure a true vertical l position.

Each mold is held in place byl an outside band, a, which is hinged at one end to the table, and secured at its opposite end by a staple and a tapered key or pin, so that the.

mold may be quickly released and removed after the'pipe has been formed therein. The hammer-head or tamp C is attached to the lower end of a piston-rod, the piston of which plays .up and down in a vertical steam-cylinder, E, which is sustained in position by means of three lateral arms,`c, d, and c,` formed on its side, and journaled upon or :around the hollow standard D, which is secured rigidly in the center of the table A, as shown.

The arms of the cylinder are arranged to turn freely on thestandard, so that the cylinder may be swung around the standard, and the hammer thereby brought in position to enter either one of the series of molds B. f The construction and operation of the cylinder and piston arethe same as in the ordinary steam hammers and engines, the cylinder be` ing provided at its ends with ports g, through which steam is admitted alternately above and below the piston. The inlet and outlet of the steamis controlled by means of a vertical rotating valve, G, mounted in a steam chest or chamber, H, on the side of the cylinder. The steam is admitted from the boiler into the hollow standard D, and, escaping through holes h made therein, passes through the lower arm e of the cylinder, which is made hollow for the purpose, into the steamchest, whence it is admitted to the cylinder. The exhaust steam is conducted through a pipe, I, into the upper end of the hollow standard D, from which it is exhausted into the open air, or conducted wheresoever it may be required. The hollow standard is closed by a transverse partition, i, just above the outlet-holes h, in order to prevent the escape of the live steam, except toward the cylinder, and to prevent the commingling ot' the live and the dead steam. The dead steam is discharged into the standard through holes 7c, as shown in Fig. 2, the holes being made at a point inside of the arm c.

In order to permit a free passage' of the steam into and out of the standard, annular grooves lare made in the cylinder-arms around the standard, directlyT opposite the holes therein, so that the turning of the arms upon the standard does not affect the steam-passages.

The steam-chest and the valve G are made cylindrical in form, and the valve cut away on its back in such manner that it always permits the steam topass freely from the hollow arm e into the chest or chamber H.

As shown in Fig. 9, the valve is provided at each end with a hole or port, m, passing through it from front to back, and with a `groove or channel, n, lengthwise in its front face, near the hole, the hole at each end of the valve being in line with the groove or channel at the other.

Between the chest or chamber H and the cylinder E there is a chamber, J, communicat- ,ing with the exhaust-pipe I, and provided at each end with a hole, o, leading into the chest or chamber H.

In operating the machine, the valve is rotated back and forth, so that at each end the port m and the channel n are alternately brought opposite the corresponding port g of ,the cylinder, the construction being such that when the hole at either end of the valve registers with one port ot the cylinder the channel at the opposite end will register with the other port.

`When the valve stands in one of i-ts two positions, as shown in Figs. 2 and 10, steam will be admitted through the hole in the lower end of the valve into the cylinder, while at Vthe same time steam will be permitted to escape from the upper end of the cylinder, through the channel n in the upper end of the valve, into the chamber J ,whence it passes off through the pipe I, and out through the upper end of the standard D.

When the valve is turned to its opposite position steam will be admitted through the upper end of the valve into the cylinder, and from the lower end of the cylinder, out through the channel in the lower end of the valve, into chamber J.

It will thus be seen that by giving the valve a rotary reciprocating motion the steam is permtted to pass into and out of the cylinder in the proper manner to work the piston and hammer up and down.

The arrangement by which the rotary motion is imparted to the valve is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 4, 5, and 6. The valve is provided with a square stem, s', extending downward and supported at its lower end in, an arm-"or bracket on the standard D, as shown. On the valve-stem there slides a closelytting sleeve, K, which plays freely through a hole inthe end ot' an arm, L, which latter is secured to and carried up and down with the hammer. The sleeve K is provided in its outer surface with recesses or depressions having inclined ends s, and the arm L, which encircles the sleeve, is provided with screws t, the ends ot' which enter the depressions in the sleeve, so that, as the arm L is carried up and down with the hammer, its screws t strike the inclines s, and thereby turn the sleeveKback and forth, so as to impart the rotary motion to the valvestem and valve. The sleeve is provided at its lower end with a swivel band or collar, u,which is pivoted to a hand-lever, M, the end of which is pivoted to a link attached to the main standard, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the operator grasping the lever 'can raise and lower the sleeve and hold the same at any point desired. When the sleeve is held fast the hammer-piston will have a stroke equal in length only to the distance between the inclines s at the two ends of the sleeve; but, byraising and lowering the sleeve, the stroke may be lengthened I and shortened as required,and the ascent and descent stopped at any desired points.

When operating the machine the concrete or other material is fed gradually into one ot' the molds at a time, and the hammer' caused to solidify and pack the same therein by a series ot' short rapid strokes. When commencing operations the sleeve is lowered and held almost stationary, so that the hammer has a short stroke in the foot of the mold, and then, as the mold fills up, the sleeve is gradually raised to limit the descent ot' the bain-- mer, the length of the stroke, however, remaining the same.

It will thus be seen that by simply operating the lever the movements of the hammer may be controlled perfectly and varied in any manner desired.

ln order to permit the gradual feeding ot' the material into the mold while the hammer is working therein, the sides ot' the hammer are cut away, as shown at w, Fig. 1. This construction enables me to feed the material into the long molds gradually and continuously while the hammer is operating with a short stroke in the foot thereof. y

In order to insure an even and uniform packing ot' the material by the hammer with its recessed sides, I give the hammer a rotary motion. The manner in which this is done is represented in Figs. 1, 4, 6, and 7. An arm, O, is mounted on the hammer or piston rod P, which is mounted around the arm L and mold in the precise position desired. The

in such manneras to turn freely thereon, and I is provided with a spring friction-dog, a', pivotedin such manner that it will take hold and turn thevrod when-the arm O ismoved to the left, but pass back 4freely vwhen the arm is -movedto therightnThis arm 4Oisprovided y with a stud entering the slotted end of an arm,

sleeve K, and provided with studs b,which pass through horizontal slots c in said arm into vertical slots d in the sleeve, as shown in Figs.'4c and 6. .While this arrangement admits of the sleeve playing vertically withoutI ai'ecting the rotating devices, the rotary motion of the sleeve turns the arm P, which operates the arm O, and causes the dog c to rotate the hammer. Each mold B is divided lengthwise through its middle into two parts, the edges of which will be provided with a tongue and groove, or with a lap-joint. The two parts are held together by two encircling bands, g', which are slipped on over the ends, the latter being slightly tapered to keep the bands, in place, and to enable the operator to force the two parts tightly together. Each mold is alsoprovided with a metal foot-plate, o', having a narrow flange or rim to iit up around the end of the mold and assist in holding its parts together, as well as tohold the foot-plates remain in place on the table, when the molds are taken oi' to remove the pipe therefrom. Each mold, when in use, contains a central vertical core, i', to produce the bore or opening in the pipe, as shown in Fig. 3. These cores yare mounted in the table A in such manner as to slide vertically, and are connected at their lower ends to spiral springs l,which tend to draw them down. They are provided at their lower ends with grooved heads, into which flanges m engage, as shown, to hold them up in position.

After a mold is lilled and the section of pipe` molded complete therein, the catch is drawn back, and the spring at once draws the core down out of the mold, leaving the same free to be lifted from the table in order to remove the pipe. After the mold isV removed the bands are drawn oit' by means of their handles, and the two parts separated, leaving the pipe complete and perfect. After the removal of the pipe the mold is again secured together, the core drawn up in position, and the mold placed on the table, as before. By arranging the series of molds around the circular table, and arranging the hammer so that it will act upon the various molds in succession, the machine is adapted for rapid operation, and the removal and replacement of the molds rendered a convenient and easy matter. By arranging the valve-gear in the manner described the operation of the hammer can be varied, as circumstances may require, and controlled perfectly. By cutting away the hammer-head and giving it the rotary motion I am enabled to mold long sections of pipe rapidly, without stopping the action of the hammer orcausing it to rise out ofthe mold, and to render the pipe of a uniform hardness. By sustaining the revolving cylinder andthe attendant parts on the central standard, and

passing the steam-through the same, I render the machine simple and lcompact, dispense with a frame, and leave the-entire table clear and unobstructed. so that the molds 'may be filled, removed, and replaced without hinderance or obstructions of any kind'in the way. By arranging the cores to slide .down in the manner described I save the labor of raising the mold therefrom, and` prevent the danger of injuring the pipe in removing the core.

When for any reason it is undesirable to have the cylinder swing around it may' be made stationary, and the table mounted on rollers and arranged to revolve, as shown in Fig. 3, to bring the molds in succession under the hammer. In such case the hammer may be supported by an outside frame instead of by the central standard, and a stationary feeding apparatus may be arranged around or beside the hammer to supply the concrete or otherl materially gradually to the mold.

It is obvious that the form and size of the moldsl may be varied as desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In combination with the circular table A, provided with the series of molds B, the steamhammer, mounted upon and swinging around the central standard'D, substantially as shown and described.

2. In combination with the steam-cylinder E, the hollow standard D, serving both to support the cylinder and conduct steam thereto, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a pipe-molding machine constructed and operating substantially as shown and described, the steam-cylinder, provided with the ports g, and the valve-chest H, provided with the ports o, in combination with the hollow rotary valve G, having the openings fm. and channels a, as shown.

4. In combination with the stem s of the rotating valve Gr, the sleeve K, provided with the inclines s, and the arm L, att-ached to the piston-rod, and provided with pills to act upon the inclines of the sleeve.

5. In combination with the cylinder and piston, operating the hammer, and the rotary valve, constructed as shown, to control the admission of the steam, the vertically-sliding sleeve K, held and controlled by a hand-lever, and provided with the inclines s, and the arm L, attached to the piston-rod and provided with projections, to impart a rotary motion to the sleeve, as described, whereby the operator is enabledv to control the rise and fallof the hammer, as required.

6. In combination with the hammer, having a recess, w, in the side of its head, the arm O 'and dog a', operating substantially as described, to give the head a rotary motion.

7. The molds B, made in two parts, and secured together by the outside bands g', as shown, the ends of the mold being tapered, and the edges of the parts jointed together, as described.

8. The vertically-slidin g cores i', mounted in Athe table A,'and connected to the springs l', in

l0. In a pipe-molding machine, the combi! nation of a vertical mold, a steam-hammer Aworking therein, and a vertically-adjustable valve-gear controlled by a Ahand-lever, constructed and operating substantially as shown and described, Yso that by gradually moving said lever the descent of the 'hammer may be limited as the mold'lls up Without changing the length of its stroke. Y

TAYLOR E. DANIELS.

Witnesses:

f E. S. WALKER,

ALBERT J. CHAPMAN. 

